Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2009. / Department of Philosophy, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Peg Brand, James Capshew, Richard Gunderman, Jane E. Schultz. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-122).

INTRODUÇÃO: Este estudo tem por objetivo avaliar, em pacientes portadores de dispepsia funcional, um tipo de atendimento médico que tem a sustentação de uma base epistemológica mais ampla (encontro terapêutico) comparada com o atendimento médico tradicional embasado no modelo biomédico (consulta médica). Inicia-se com um debate onde são descritas as teorias e definições acerca do tema \"pluralismo epistemológico\". O autor acredita que este é o alicerce capaz de fornecer a necessária sustentação para o exercício crítico da atividade profissional que se quer mais humanizada e humanista e para uma pesquisa em saúde que consiga integrar os múltiplos saberes. Em seguida, descreve os passos que transformam \"consultas\" em \"encontros terapêuticos\". De acordo com o autor essa transformação possibilita o resgate das características de arte da medicina. Arte no sentido de artesanal (de \"feita sob medida\") ao contrário da biomedicina que é técnica (no sentido de sistematizar, generalizar). MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado e controlado por placebo, registrado no ClinicalTrials.gov. Realizado de novembro de 2007 a fevereiro de 2012. Foram recrutados 131 pacientes com dispepsia funcional a partir de 753 voluntários pertencentes ao Ambulatório de Gastroenterologia da Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. Esses pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos A e B, onde o grupo A (n = 63) foi tratado com consultas médicas tradicionais e o grupo B (n = 68) com encontros terapêuticos. Esses dois grupos foram divididos em 4 subgrupos A1, A2, B1 e B2, onde os subgrupos A1 (n = 31) e B1(n = 34) receberam o medicamento omeprazol, A2 (n = 32) e B2 (n = 34) receberam placebo. A todos os pacientes, foi aplicado o Questionário de Sintomas de Dispepsia Funcional (QSDF) no início do estudo. Aos que terminaram o tratamento, o QSDF foi aplicado no final (seis meses após o inicio). A variável desfecho foi definida como sendo a redução de 50% e mais no escore obtido entre a primeira e a segunda aplicação do QSDF. RESULTADOS: 1) Não houve diferenças entre os grupos e subgrupos com respeito ao número de pacientes, quanto à distribuição por sexo, idade e frequência de uso de medicação de resgate. 2) Dos 131 pacientes do estudo 74 (56,5%) completaram o tratamento e 57 (43,5%) abandonaram antes do término. Não há diferença significativa entre os grupos A (n = 30) e B (n = 44) quanto à proporção de pacientes que terminaram seu tratamento (p = 0,076). 3) Nos subgrupos B1 e B2, 79,5% e 80% dos pacientes, respectivamente, alcançaram a redução de 50% e mais no escore do QSDF, contra apenas 22,2% e 41,7% dos pacientes dos subgrupos A1 e A2. A diferença entre os subgrupos é significante (p < 0,001). CONCLUSÕES: Neste estudo o atendimento médico \"encontro terapêutico\" foi (2,65 vezes) mais eficaz do que a \"consulta médica tradicional\". A excelência técnica é fundamental para a boa prática da medicina, mas ela é mais eficaz quando associada à arte / INTRODUCTION: This study aims to evaluate, in patients with functional dyspepsia, a type of medical care that has the support of a larger epistemological basis (therapeutic encounter) compared with standard medical care grounded in the biomedical model (medical consultation). It begins with a discussion where theories and definitions on the topic \"epistemological pluralism\" are described. The author believes that this is the foundation capable of providing the necessary support for the critical exercise of professional activity in a more humane and humanistic basis, and for a health research capable of the integration of multiple areas of knowledge. Then he describes the steps that transform \"consultation\" in \"therapeutic encounters.\" According to the author, this transformation enables the rescue of the characteristics of the art of medicine. Art in the sense of artisanal (the \"tailor made\") instead of biomedicine that is technical (in the sense of systematic, generalized). METHODS: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, registered in ClinicalTrials.gov., held from November 2007 to February 2012. 131 patients with functional dyspepsia were recruited from 753 volunteers belonging to the Gastroenterology outpatient clinic of Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. These patients were divided into two groups A and B, where group A (n = 63) was treated with traditional medical consultations and group B (n = 68) with therapeutic encounters. These two groups were divided into 4 subgroups A1, A2, B1 and B2, where the subgroups A1 (n = 31) and B1 (n = 34) received omeprazole, A2 (n = 32) and B2 (n = 34) received placebo. All patients answered the Questionnaire Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia (QSFD) at study entry. Those patients who completed treatment answered the QSFD again in the end (six months after the onset). The outcome variable was defined as a reduction of 50% and more on the score obtained between the first and second application of QSFD. RESULTS: 1) There were no differences between the groups and subgroups with respect to the number of patients, according to the distribution by gender, age and frequency of use of rescue medication. 2) Among the 131 patients in the study 74 (56.5%) completed treatment and 57 (43.5%) dropped out before completion. There is no significant difference between groups A (n = 30) and B (n = 44) as the proportion of patients who completed their treatment (p = 0.076). 3) In subgroups B1 and B2, 79.5% and 80% of patients, respectively, achieved a reduction of 50% and more in the score QSFD, against only 22.2% and 41.7% of patients in subgroups A1 and A2. The difference between the groups is significant (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study the \"therapeutic encounter\" was (2.65 times) more effective than \"traditional medical consultation\". Technical excellence is fundamental to good medical practice, but it is more effective when combined with art

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / While the majority of chronic pain patients report receiving inadequate care, there is evidence that female and Black patients receive less analgesic medications and treatment for their chronic pain compared to male and White patients, respectively. While treatment disparities have been evidenced in the literature, there is little understanding of provider-factors, such as their decision-making awareness and attitudes, which may contribute to the differences in treatment. This investigation employed quantitative and qualitative procedures to examine the relationship between patient demographics and chronic pain treatment variability, providers’ awareness of these non-medical influences on their decisions, and the extent to which providers’ gender and racial attitudes associate with their treatment decisions. Twenty healthcare trainees made pain treatment decisions (opioid, antidepressant, physical therapy, pain specialty referral) for 16 computer-simulated patients presenting with chronic low back pain; patient sex and race were manipulated across vignettes. Participants then selected among 9 factors, including patient demographics, to indicate which factors influenced their treatment decisions for the simulated patients and completed gender and racial attitude measures. After online study completion, follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted to discuss the medical/non-medical factors that influence trainees’ clinical treatment decisions. Quantitative analysis indicated that 5%-25% of trainees were actually influenced (p<0.10) by patient sex and race in their treatments, and on the whole, trainees gave higher antidepressant ratings to White than Black patients (p<.05). Fifty-five percent demonstrated concordance, or awareness, between their actual and reported use of patient demographics. Follow-up McNemar’s test indicated trainees were generally aware of the influence of demographics on their decisions. Overall, gender and racial attitudes did not associate with trainees’ treatment decisions, except trainees’ complementary stereotypes about Black individuals were positively associated with their opioid decisions for White patients. During qualitative interviews, aware and unaware trainees discussed similar themes related to sex and racial/ethnic differences in pain presentation and tailoring treatments. We found that (1) a subset of trainees were influenced by patient sex and race when making chronic pain treatment decisions, (2) trainees were generally aware of the influence of patient demographics, and (3) trainees discussed differences in pain presentation based on patients’ sex and ethnic origin. These findings suggest trainees’ are influenced by patient demographics and hold stereotypes about patient populations, which may play a role in their decision-making.